One thing I think FFXIV is missing is not necessarily more buttons, more complexity, or even harder rotations.
It is missing more meaningful choices during combat.
Right now, most jobs eventually solve themselves into a fixed rotation. The challenge becomes executing that rotation correctly while handling mechanics.
But what if enemies evolved alongside jobs?
Imagine if every job had access to different categories of actions:
Heavy Attacks
Multi-Hit Attacks
Magic Attacks
Utility Actions
Not as completely separate job identities, but as tools within each job’s existing kit.
A Dragoon might lean more toward Heavy Attacks.
A Viper might lean more toward Multi-Hit Attacks.
A Red Mage might naturally have stronger Magic options.
A Bard or Dancer might bring more Utility interactions.
The point is not that one job only does one thing.
The point is that every job would have a different balance of these tools based on its identity.
Then enemies could have different states that react to those attack types.
For example:
Armor State
Multi-hit attacks are better at breaking armor.
Exposed State
Once the armor is broken, heavy attacks become much more valuable.
Arcane Barrier
Magic attacks become the better answer.
Frenzy State
Pure damage may make the enemy more dangerous, while utility actions can help control or suppress the state.
This would create a different kind of combat decision.
Not just:
“What is the next button in my rotation?”
But:
“What is the correct type of action for the enemy’s current state?”
And I want to be clear: I am not suggesting that rotations should be removed.
From what we have seen so far, Evolved Jobs seem to still be built around combos and rotations, but in a more dynamic way. I actually think that is a positive direction.
What I would like to see is this idea applied within that same system.
Instead of having only one correct rotation, jobs could have multiple rotation paths depending on the situation.
Maybe one combo path focuses on Heavy Attacks.
Another path focuses on Multi-Hit Attacks.
Another path applies Utility effects.
Another path interacts with Magic.
The enemy state would then influence which rotation path is the best choice at that moment.
So the goal is not to replace rotations.
The goal is to make rotation selection matter.
Combat would become less about memorizing one sequence and more about reading the battlefield, understanding the enemy state, and choosing the right path.
In other words:
Instead of only Rotation Management,
we could have State Management.
That, to me, would feel like a real RPG element inside FFXIV’s combat system.
Continue reading...
It is missing more meaningful choices during combat.
Right now, most jobs eventually solve themselves into a fixed rotation. The challenge becomes executing that rotation correctly while handling mechanics.
But what if enemies evolved alongside jobs?
Imagine if every job had access to different categories of actions:
Heavy Attacks
Multi-Hit Attacks
Magic Attacks
Utility Actions
Not as completely separate job identities, but as tools within each job’s existing kit.
A Dragoon might lean more toward Heavy Attacks.
A Viper might lean more toward Multi-Hit Attacks.
A Red Mage might naturally have stronger Magic options.
A Bard or Dancer might bring more Utility interactions.
The point is not that one job only does one thing.
The point is that every job would have a different balance of these tools based on its identity.
Then enemies could have different states that react to those attack types.
For example:
Armor State
Multi-hit attacks are better at breaking armor.
Exposed State
Once the armor is broken, heavy attacks become much more valuable.
Arcane Barrier
Magic attacks become the better answer.
Frenzy State
Pure damage may make the enemy more dangerous, while utility actions can help control or suppress the state.
This would create a different kind of combat decision.
Not just:
“What is the next button in my rotation?”
But:
“What is the correct type of action for the enemy’s current state?”
And I want to be clear: I am not suggesting that rotations should be removed.
From what we have seen so far, Evolved Jobs seem to still be built around combos and rotations, but in a more dynamic way. I actually think that is a positive direction.
What I would like to see is this idea applied within that same system.
Instead of having only one correct rotation, jobs could have multiple rotation paths depending on the situation.
Maybe one combo path focuses on Heavy Attacks.
Another path focuses on Multi-Hit Attacks.
Another path applies Utility effects.
Another path interacts with Magic.
The enemy state would then influence which rotation path is the best choice at that moment.
So the goal is not to replace rotations.
The goal is to make rotation selection matter.
Combat would become less about memorizing one sequence and more about reading the battlefield, understanding the enemy state, and choosing the right path.
In other words:
Instead of only Rotation Management,
we could have State Management.
That, to me, would feel like a real RPG element inside FFXIV’s combat system.
Continue reading...